STARKVILLE, Miss. - No. 24 Mississippi State used a pair of big runs to
defeat ULM 78-63 Monday evening inside Humphrey Coliseum. It marked the end to
a tough start to the season for the Warhawks (0-5) in which they played five
games in 11 days - four on the road.
The Bulldogs had runs of 14-0 (first half) and 18-1 (second half) to win
their fourth straight and improve to 5-1 on the season. The Warhawks did not
make it easy though as they led by as many as eight in the first half and trailed
just 31-26 at the break.
Senior guard Fred Brown turned in another stellar performance for the
Warhawks with a season-high 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Brown connected on
3-of-5 from 3-point range while also tallying two assists and two steals.
ULM upped its shooting for the fifth straight game and finished the
contest shooting 49.0 percent from the field. Mississippi State countered by
shooting 50.8 percent from the field and knocking in 10 3-pointers.
With the Warhawks leading by two, Mississippi State used an 18-1 run to
take a 57-42 advantage with 10:10 remaining in the game. The run spanned 5:57
and was capped by a 3-pointer by Dee Bost. Bost led the Bulldogs with 21 points
and five assists in the game, including four 3-pointers.
Rodney Hood chipped in 20 points and eight assists and Brian Bryant
finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State took advantage of its size with a 36-16 advantage in
the paint and a 17-3 edge in second-chance points. ULM hung in on the boards
against the Bulldogs with just a 32-26 deficit.
Sophomore guard Marcelis Hansberry also had a season-best night with 13
points, while senior guard Hugh Mingo and sophomore guard Charles Winborne each
contributed nine points for ULM.
ULM hit four of its first five shots of the game, including a pair of
3-pointers by Brown, to take an early 11-5 advantage. Hansberry scored on a
layup with 13:51 to give the Warhawks a 15-10 lead.
Mississippi State reeled off five straight points - all from Jalen
Steele -- to tie the score at 15-all with 12:13 remaining in the first half
before ULM used an 8-0 run to build its largest lead of the game.
Freshman Trey Lindsey hit a jumper just inside in the 3-point line and
R.J. McCray followed with a jumper of his own to vault the Warhawks in front
19-15 at the 9:08 mark of the first half. Hugh Mingo connected on a layup and
Hansberry scored in transition to give ULM its largest lead at 23-15 with 7:49
remaining before halftime.
Mississippi State quickly responded, embarking on a 14-0 run spanning
over seven minutes, to take a 29-23 advantage. Brown broke the run with a
3-pointer at the 1:18 mark to pull the Warhawks within three points.
The Warhawks opened the second half on 9-4 run to knot the score at
35-all with 16:03 remaining. A jumper by Hansberry gave ULM its final lead at
41-39 with 14:31 left in the game.
ULM returns home to host Harding Saturday at 2 p.m. inside Fant-Ewing
Coliseum.
